ITEMS LEFT AT THE WALL

Handwritten letter & envelope dedicated to U.S. Navy Lieutenant (LT) and Congressional Medal of Honor (MoH) recipient Father Vincent Robert Capodanno. The envelope bears LT Capodanno's name while the letter is addressed, "Dear Vince", is signed, "Your brother priest, / Larry", is dated, "11-13-86", and reads, "I have long admired you & still miss you. / I never could walk in your moccasins at 1/7. / Thanks for visiting me before you died. / I still remember the watch. / Pray for me, Vince [...] P.S. We always knew that one day you would win the CMH [Congressional Medal of Honor]". The artifact was left at The Wall along with a military issue, U.S. Navy service identification tag (VIVE (10261)), a military issue, U.S. Navy rank insignia shoulder board (VIVE (10262)), & a military issue, U.S. Navy Chaplain Corps (Christian) branch insignia (VIVE (10263)) by U.S. Navy veteran Father Larry R. Lowry on November 13, 1986.

ASSEMBLAGE DEDICATED TO U.S. NAVY LIEUTENANT (LT) AND CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR (MOH) RECIPIENT FATHER VINCENT ROBERT CAPODANNO AND CONSISTING OF: COMPONENT (A) HANDWRITTEN LETTER & COMPONENT (B) HANDWRITTEN ENVELOPE. COMPONENT (A) HANDWRITTEN LETTER. THE OBJECT CONSISTS OF A LETTER HANDWRITTEN IN BLUE INK AND CURSIVE SCRIPT/ARABIC NUMERALS UPON THE OBVERSE OBJECT SURFACE OF A LEGAL-SIZED SHEET OF YELLOW, LINED PAPER. THE LETTER IS ADDRESSED, "DEAR VINCE", IS SIGNED, "YOUR BROTHER PRIEST, / LARRY", IS DATED, "11-13-86", AND READS, "I HAVE LONG ADMIRED YOU & STILL MISS YOU. / I NEVER COULD WALK IN YOUR MOCCASINS AT 1/7. / THANKS FOR VISITING ME BEFORE YOU DIED. / I STILL REMEMBER THE WATCH. / PRAY FOR ME, VINCE.[...]P.S. / WE ALWAYS KNEW THAT ONE DAY YOU WOULD WIN THE CMH [CONGRESSIONAL MEDAL OF HONOR]". COMPONENT (A) WAS ORIGINALLY DISCOVERED AT THE WALL HOUSED INSIDE COMPONENT (B). COMPONENT (B) HANDWRITTEN ENVELOPE. THE OBJECT CONSISTS OF A RECTANGULARLY SHAPED LETTER ENVELOPE COMPRISED OF WHITE PAPER STOCK AND BEARING A TRIANGULARLY SHAPED, ADHESIVE CLOSURE FLAP AT THE REVERSE OBJECT SURFACE. AT THE CENTER OF THE OBVERSE OBJECT SURFACE, A HANDWRITTEN INSCRIPTION IN BLUE INK AND CURSIVE SCRIPT READS, "VINCE CAPODANNO". COMPONENT (A) WAS ORIGINALLY DISCOVERED AT THE WALL HOUSED INSIDE COMPONENT (B). ACCORDING TO VIVE CATALOG NOTES PREPARED BY MRCE COLLECTIONS STAFF, THE ARTIFACT WAS PREVIOUSLY FEATURED IN THE MUSEUM OF OUR NATIONAL HERITAGE EXHIBITION (MOONH# 450). THE OBJECT IS ASSOCIATED WITH VIVE (10261 - 10263).

Text of the handwritten inscriptions upon the obverse object surfaces of COMPONENTS (A & B) is transcribed in full, as follows: [COMPONENT (A), obverse object surface, handwritten inscription] "11-13-86 / Dear Vince: / I have long admired you & still miss you. / I never could walk in your moccasins at 1/7. / Thanks for visiting me before you died. / I still remember the watch. / Pray for me, Vince. / Your brother priest, / Larry / P.S. We always knew that one day you would win the CMH [Congressional Medal of Honor]" / [COMPONENT (B), obverse object surface, handwritten inscription] "Vince Capodanno"

Item Weight: 3.8g (Weight of COMPONENT (A) only)
Item Length: 31.7cm
Item Width: 20.3cm